The Phoenix Tree and the Rain

#2022-0527

Early this afternoon I was glad to get a chance for taking a walk. 

As soon as it stopped raining, I quickly stepped out of the house, with a walking stick in one hand and an umbrella in the other -- just in case it would rain again when I was somewhere on the mountainside.

The first thing that caught my eye was the Poinciana* (which I usually call "phoenix tree") on the nearby hillside, with bright red flowers on its branches, just like a lively happy young man smiling and beckoning to me (See photos 1-5 below).

首先映入我眼簾的是附近山坡上的鳳凰木，紅花滿枝頭，像似活潑快樂的年輕小夥子，對著我微笑招手。然後 . . .

After having a pleasant (and also careful) walk along the mountain trail, part of which was slippery because of the previous heavy rain, I was now about to finish my outdoor exercises and got back home. To my surprise, it started to rain heavily again in just a split second. It was pretty much the kind of TORRENTIAL RAIN that we recognize (See photos 6-12 below). 

Alas! In spite of the good umbrella I carried with me, my trousers as well as my shoes were soaking wet...

之後 . . . 出乎我意料，轉瞬間又下起了大雨，幾乎就是我們所認知的那種“暴雨”。唉呀！儘管隨身帶了把好傘，我的褲子和鞋子最終還是都濕透 . . .

What a soaking wet day! -- No problem, I just like it.

好一個濕漉漉的日子！但不要緊，我就是喜歡！

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* Note:  In Chinese this plant is called 鳳凰木, also known as 影樹, 鳳凰樹, 鳳凰花, 金鳳, 火鳳凰, 洋楹, 紅花楹 (in Cantonese), 火樹, 紅火楹, 火焰木, 森之炎, 攀霞拿, etc. In English it is given the name royal poinciana, flamboyant, phoenix flower, flame of the forest, or flame tree (one of several species given this name).

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2)  雨後即景     (2019)

3)  《雨中即景》中文版     (2018)

4)  An Illustration of Summer《夏日圖說》     (2016)